Various aquatic endeavors, such as fishing, diving, snorkeling and boating in general, make it desirable to be able to view beneath the water's surface. To accomplish this viewing, numerous viewing devices have been utilized from simplistic transparent panels to elaborate electronic devices.
For instance, a basic underwater viewing device can be a rigid transparent panel that is built into the hull of a boat. Such vessels, also known as "glass-bottom boats" are popular with tourists since they allow for a safe and easy way of viewing the world beneath the ocean's surface. However, such transparent panels have limited structural integrity requiring special hull modification and requires viewing directly through the panel.
Various sonar devices, including depth and fish finders have also been used in an effort to create a visual interpretation, based upon sonar feedback, of the underlying geography. This type of information is very important when fishing or when merely trying to navigate through shallow water.
Additionally, during the course of designing or operating a vessel, it is often useful to be able to visualize the flow of water beneath and around the hull. Furthermore, when vessels are underway, untoward vibrations may develop, or it may be suspected that a portion of the running gear has been damaged by debris or grounding of the vessel. In such instances, the ability to visually inspect the propellers and shafts is extremely important.
Modern electronics allow on-board displays of the underwater environment utilizing the signal from a small video camera placed beneath the surface. One known electronic display device employs a camera enclosed in a watertight housing secured to a long handle that allows for positioning of the camera beneath the water surface along the side of the vessel. Alternatively, the camera can be attached to a cable which allows it to be submerged at a specified depth and towed behind the vessel at fairly high speeds, e.g. up to 12 knots,. The problem with these devices is that they necessarily suffer from being dragged through the water. When supported by a handle, a great deal of drag is created, thereby making it difficult for the operator to effectively support the camera. Unacceptable vibration and movement occurs which results in a blurred image and an inability to maintain the desired aiming of the camera. When towed behind the boat, similar problems occur with vibration and aiming. Furthermore, the camera is subject to damaging entanglements and impacts with submerged devices, fishing lines, the boat or even the boat propellers.
What is lacking in the art is a means for viewing beneath the surface by use of a camera mounted in such a way that it is in visual contact with the area below the vessel and wherein the camera's angle of view can be modified for viewing the areas forward, aft, to the sides and directly beneath the vessel, while not incurring a degradation of visual acuity or suffering the type of physical damage which is concomitant with being positioned outside of the vessel.